Laser produced plasma from silver is generated using a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. Optical emission spectroscopy is used
to carry out time of flight (TOF) analysis of atomic particles. An anomalous double peak profile in the TOF distribution is
observed at low pressure. A collection of slower species emerge at reduced pressure below 4 X lO-3 mbar and this species
has a greater velocity spread. At high pressure the plasma expansion follows the shockwave model with cylindrical
symmetry whereas at reduced pressure it shows unsteady adiabatic expansion (UAE). During UAE the species show a
parabolic increases in the expansion time with radial distance whereas during shock wave expansion the exponent is less
than one. The angular distribution of the ablated species in the plume is obtained from the measurement of optical density of
thin films deposited on to glass substrates kept perpendicular to the plume. There is a sharp variation in the film thickness
away from the film centre due to asymmetries in the plume.